Dodgers Clayton Kershaw, #22, was the starting pitcher against the Giants at Dodger Stadium Sunday, September 24, 2017. The Dodgers defeated the Giants 3-1. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw, took a shutout into the eighth inning of the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Giants at Dodger Stadium Sunday, September 24, 2017. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Dodgers Logan Forsythe, #11, could not get a handle on this short hopper during 4th inning action at Dodger Stadium Sunday, September 24, 2017. The Dodgers defeated the Giants 3-1. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Giants Chris Stratton, #34, started for the Giants against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium Sunday, September 24, 2017. The Dodgers defeated the Giants 3-1.(Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Dodgers Corey Seager, #5, completes a double play with Giants Hunter Pence out at second base during 2nd inning action at Dodger Stadium Sunday, September 24, 2017. The Dodgers defeated the Giants 3-1.(Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Dodgers Yasmani Grandal, #9, scores with a two run home run in the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium Sunday, September 24, 2017. The Dodgers defeated the Giants 3-1. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Giants Hunter Pence, #8, was unable to make this catch in foul territory during the fourth inning. After review, the play was called fan interference and the out was awarded to the Giants to end the inning. at Dodger Stadium Sunday, September 24, 2017. The Dodgers defeated the Giants 3-1.(Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

LOS ANGELES – For a brief moment Sunday, it appeared Clayton Kershaw had entered an obstacle course.

When the Giants’ Gorkys Hernandez inadvertently flung his bat toward the mound on a swing-and-miss in the eighth inning, Kershaw could only go up to avoid the projectile. After returning to earth, he calmly jogged behind the mound, picked up the bat, and carried it to his opponent himself.

Three pitches later, Kershaw struck Hernandez out.

So it went Sunday. Kershaw allowed plenty of contact but was punished only once. He took a shutout into the eighth inning of the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Giants at Dodger Stadium and nearly finished the game himself.

“It seemed like the balls they hit hard were on the ground,” Kershaw said. “Thankfully guys were standing there to make outs.”

Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal was not so quick to credit the Dodgers’ defensive positioning.

“Everything pretty much” was working for Kershaw, Grandal said. “He was able to locate his fastball, attack the zone, slider was good today, his curveball came to play, his changeup was good today. It was the fact that we were able to get contact on the ground when we needed it. The double plays were huge.”

Kershaw’s strikeout of Hernandez came on his 93rd and final pitch of the afternoon. It was his sixth strikeout in eight innings – more than enough to win a game that saw the Dodgers turn four double plays.

It was also Kershaw’s 200th strikeout of the season, giving him seven seasons with 200 or more. No pitcher has done that in the history of the franchise, which began play in 1884.

Grandal’s two-run blast against Chris Stratton (3-4) in the fourth inning was the 212th home run by a Dodger hitter this season, breaking a record set by the 2000 team.

Those franchise benchmarks helped the Dodgers maintain their slim hold on the best record in baseball (99-57). The Cleveland Indians are a game behind at 98-58. Among National League teams, only the Washington Nationals (94-61) have an outside shot at stealing home-field advantage in a potential NL Championship Series.

The Dodgers took two of three games against the Giants in the rivals’ final meeting this year.

Grandal’s home run, which broke open a 1-0 game, was his 21st of the season. He also had the game’s other RBI, a sacrifice fly in the second inning that drove in Curtis Granderson.

Although he has just five hits in 50 September at-bats, Grandal insisted the home run did not boost his confidence.

“I’ve always been confident in my abilities,” he said.

Nonetheless, Grandal’s three-RBI performance came only two days after Dodgers manager Dave Roberts declared the catcher position a platoon.

Austin Barnes, who began the season as the backup catcher, has started nine games this month. Grandal has started 15. Barnes homered in a 2-1 loss Saturday and has swung a hotter bat since the All-Star break (a .286/.417/.398 slash line). Grandal is the only one with postseason experience.

This is one of a handful of postseason roles for Roberts to sort out in the season’s final week. Most of these battles lie on the fringes of the 25-man roster.

Joc Pederson got his first start in left field since Sept. 9. He singled, walked twice, and stole a base as the No. 8 hitter. Andre Ethier was announced as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, but was replaced by Kyle Farmer when Giants manager Bruce Bochy summoned a left-handed pitcher from the bullpen. Farmer then lined out to third base.

With closer Kenley Jansen unavailable, Brandon Morrow finished the game by pitching a scoreless ninth inning. It was Morrow’s second save of the season. With an ERA of 2.11 and a fastball that still touches 99 mph, the 33-year-old right-hander looks poised to become the primary setup man to Jansen.

Judging by his performance Sunday, the Dodgers’ presumptive Game 1 starter declared himself ready for the NL Division Series, too.

Kershaw (18-4) allowed eight hits and did not walk a batter. He didn’t allow a runner past second base. The only mark on his ledger was a solo home run in the eighth inning by Mac Williamson. The left-hander lowered his major league-leading ERA to 2.21 and leads all pitchers in wins.

It was an important rebound game for Kershaw, who had lost two of his previous three starts. Just as importantly, the strained back muscle that cost him the entire month of August feels like a distant memory. Roberts said he is no longer monitoring Kershaw’s usage because of the injury.

“I’ve had a couple good ones, a couple bad ones too,” Kershaw said of his four September starts. “I don’t really look back on it but you’re only as good as your last start.”

He’ll figure to get one final tuneup next weekend, during the final series of the season at Coors Field in Denver.

Sometimes, the Dodgers have intentionally shortened Kershaw’s final start of the regular season. It might not happen this time. The Rockies are still playing for a wild card berth; the Arizona Diamondbacks clinched one themselves Sunday.

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